Now we’ve looked at what the machine can do, let’s turn our attention to what really matters, what real life customers think. We’ve had a good look around at reviews on the web, and collated the common themes. Hopefully this will give you a real feel for what is good and not so good about this machine, with some battle testing thrown into our Jura Impressa F8 review!
Do you have somebody in the house who drinks decaf? The Delonghi ECAM22110B makes it easy to bypass the grinder function, allowing you to use pre-ground coffee for a quick brew. Or if you prefer the robust taste of freshly ground coffee, the stainless steel low pitch conical burr grinder quickly grinds whole beans for a fresh cup at the push of a button.
The Gaggia Brera is a great budget super automatic espresso machine that not only has a small form factor, but it’s also very well designed and looks great on any kitchen countertop. When thinking about it, the first thing that comes to the mind of those that already use it is convenience. For example, the water tank, drop tray and the dregs drawer are all within reach and can be easily accessed from the machine for simple, swift maintenance and regular cleaning.
Using the machine the first time was fun - it has lights that shine down on the cup for a very cool look. It is much quieter than our DeLonghi, and very fast to heat up and grind, brew, and dispense the coffee. The crema is very nice, and the coffee tastes great. The drip tray is easy to pull out to the front, and easy to rinse and throw away the grinds. The machine is plastic, which is ok, but the tray where the cup rests is polished silver metal, and has a nice heaviness to it. The J9.3 comes with a Jura milk container and tubes. We don't do a lot of milk drinks, so I didn't mind that you have to do just a bit extra to fill up the container and attach the hose. You could just put a hose into a cup of milk; you don't have to use the Jura container. It made a very nice latte, great foam. It was actually easy to clean and rinse, but you do have to take the time to be there with two cups - one with rinse water and another to catch the dirty water, then repeat. If you don't mind taking a couple extra steps and minutes, then it's easy. The J9.3 came with the Jura milk container.
I had avoided automatics for a while simply because pulling a shot seemed like such a romantic notion. Hah! Switching to a schedule that kicks off at 5:45 AM makes anything 'automatic' look a whole lot sexier. I am setting aside $$$ so that when this one finally fails (and that should be a while - this machine demonstrates superior engineering), I can dart right to the store and buy another.
Jura ENA Micro 90 One Touch Automatic Coffee Center: It might be the world’s smallest automatic machine but it offers big features. The compact machine can prepare a cappuccino and a latte macchiato at the touch of a button and, thanks to fine foam technology, the fine milk foam is always creamy and sweet. The Micro 90 also features a professional grade conical burr grinder, a powerful pump that produces 15 bars of pressure and a one-touch display.
Strength and temperature selection for a precise cup – The unit has four selections for the strength of coffee you want and lets you control the brew temperature for different drinks. This is a great way to customize a cup of coffee for guests and family. Instead of a pot evaporating away on the heater all day, just dial in the strength desired and 60 seconds later, you have your perfect cup of coffee.
It’s highly efficient, meaning that you don’t get as much ground residue after processing your beans. Not only does this ensure that your coffee tastes (and smells) better, but it saves on the cleaning process. Finally, the E6 has a separate milk frother and spout. Instead of pouring milk through one of the nozzles that can be used for coffee (this model also can make two cups simultaneously), the E6 keeps it all separated.

The large water tank and grounds container allow you to produce large quantities of coffee at a time, making this system ideal for office settings or large gatherings. Two thermo-block heating systems ensure temperature control, while a precision burr grinder with 6 settings allows you ultimate control over your the coarseness of your coffee grounds.

It would be a mistake to say that there’s no learning curve at all on the E8. It has one; it’s just not particularly steep. Sure, there are a lot of settings, and a lot of things you can change, tweak and adjust, but honestly, the hardest part of its operation is going to be changing your preferred drink settings and familiarizing yourself with the way the menus work.

The filter baskets are also a critical part of your espresso making. Not all filters are the same, and some are better, some are not so great. You can get great results with one filter basket, and mediocre with another one. Experiment, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In most cases, using the single filter basket produces better results. Usually, the grind/tamping ratios are different for the different baskets.

If you’re not familiar with the term, TFT is a more high-tech version of a standard LCD. The colors are brighter, and the image is sharper, thus enabling you to see what you’re doing much more easily. The screen itself is 2.8 inches, and it uses a rotary dial to select the kind of coffee you like. What’s noticeable about the F8 is that it’s a full-service coffee maker, but it’s smaller than other models that Jura offers.
The Wrap-up: While someone with simple tastes may be content with a twenty dollar automatic drip coffee maker or instant powders, real coffee lovers will appreciate the finer points of the Jura-Capresso S8. Not only will this superb machine turn out brews worthy of elegant European cafes, but it does so with a surprisingly little effort from the user, thanks to its simple “one-touch” programming.
The other point that we wanted to highlight isn’t necessarily a negative per se, but just the fact that it’s a lot to spend, and let’s face it – it is! There’s a lot of machines available in the sub £500 range, and we’d never advocate or encourage spending more than you can afford. Having said that, you do get what you pay for, and in this case we believe it’s exceptional quality. If you really love coffee, it’s probably worth paying as much as you’re comfortable with to get a great machine, and that’s exactly what you’re getting here.

It makes maintenance much easier (once you’ve learned all of the elements), and it ensures that your machine will last a long time.Secondly, the quality of the grinder is superb, and we love the way that it dispenses a variety of coffees. In the end, the E6 is perfect for all coffee connoisseurs, and it will enhance your enjoyment of these beverages.

This is probably one of the more important points to note – just how easy it is to get started. Bean to cup coffee machines tend to fall into two categories, they are either easy to use but inflexible, or take time to master and give a lot of opportunity to experiment. This Jura machine gives a lot of scope to both, which is great if you’re short on practice time or not sure if you’ve got the skills needed just yet.

I'm not a heavy coffee drinker but after working as a barista in a coffee house, I am a little particular about exactly how I like it. I've used a professional machine and the F9 is *easier* to use and even with 4 less bars of pressure than commercial models it still produces very comparable results. Also is faster to use than commercial machines since it stores the beans, grinds, tamps, and even collects the spent grounds. The Jura Capresso F9 allows you to make coffee or espresso in the EXACT amount, temperature, and strength you prefer. You can also use the hot water only function for brewing hot tea or Americano style coffee beverages. The touch screen is extremely easy to navigate, and the unit is easy to clean, prompting you to do so when needed. Hmmm... did I say *easy*?

THE CURE: Once weekly reach up inside with a hot, wet towel, and clean the round disk behind the flap that hangs down. If it jams, unplug and let it cool before turning it on - sometimes you may have to do this several times. It just happened this a.m., and I had to wait 1/2 hour between my 3rd and 4th cup :) The first time it happened, tech support walked me through the cleaning on the phone. The last time was more of a problem, and they shipped me a mailing label for a $245 complete rebuild, but I didn't have to use it.

Bring the look and taste of a professional coffee house into your home with the sleekly designed Quickmill Andreja machine. Complete with state-of-the-art premium updates, the new Andreja has everything you need to make a professional-grade cup of coffee from the comfort of your own home, like your very own commercial espresso maker. Its high quality parts are quality tested to ensure functionality and durability.

It’s a lovely looking, all-metal thing, with even accessories like the tamper and milk jug exuding an air of quiet, understated luxury. The portafilter is reassuringly weighty and solid, locking into the group head with a satisfying twist. There are clever little touches you can’t see or immediately feel that add to the feeling of quality too: on top is a tray that warms your cups, and the 2l water tank has an integrated, changeable filter.
The improvements are quite a few, including the four selectable strength options that helps determine the dosage of the shots you want to brew between five and sixteen grams of coffee. If you want, you can easily tailor your experience with programmable pre-brewing, brew temperature and water volume. You can make the adjustments by using the rotary switch and the good news is that the machine will remember your preferences so you can brew the same delicious cup of coffee next time.
While it might seem odd to mention, some people do like to use pre ground coffee with a bean to cup machine, at least occasionally. A common reason is to get a cup of decaffeinated coffee from time to time, without needing to empty out the beans from the hopper, make a drink then switch it all back again. Similarly, if you have a brand of pre-ground coffee that you like as a change from your normal freshly ground beans every so often, the Impressa F8 has you covered.
The ESAM3500.N features programmable menu settings, meaning that you can easily adjust the coffee temperature, water hardness, the 1h to 3h automatic shutoff, start time and clock. Regardless of how picky you may be when it comes to coffee, you’ll definitely get to prepare a delicious cup of your favorite blended thanks to the 5 settings for coffee strength, including extra strong, strong, regular, mild and extra mild. On top of that, there are 3 buttons which make it easy to choosing the cup size (large, espresso and ristretto).
If you have some experience in the world of specialty coffee drinks, skip this short section in our Jura E8 coffee machine review, as you already know all of this. If you’re new to the game and coming from the world of drip-brew coffee, keep reading, because there’s a key difference between how espresso is made versus how your beloved drip-brew machine works.
Whether you like it regular, or ristretto, or long, or Americano, the espresso needs to be smooth. There is some slight bitterness, but it should be very faint. The taste should remind of caramel. If you don’t have any idea of the taste, just go to a good coffee shop and order one. Go for a few days, and try to explore different baristas, and different times of the day. This will give you a great idea. If you don’t like it, and you know the coffee shop is a good one, give up, this is not for you. Some people just don’t like espresso. My wife, for instance, will only accept one if there is no other coffee around. At the end of the day, you have to like it, and you should make it your own.
Jura machines differ greatly in size and weight. The smallest machines can be tucked into a corner inconspicuously, but the largest machines take up large amounts of space, and require some room to operate. We will be keeping track of the dimensions to make sure that you don’t end up with a 40-lb. tank for your streamlined, urban apartment. We know, everything looks smaller on the internet!